Followed By Pain
by xXxangel's.two.wolvesxXx
Summary: Pitch has risen again after a decade of rest with much more up his sleeve than last time. The Guardians know they need help. Kassandra Aylett, Jack's fiancee, a three hundred sixteen year old spirit, is the next Guardian. But this time is different that the last. There's a lot more a stake here than just belief. JackXOC. Rated T just in case.
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone! Angel here. This is my first fic. Please offer some constructive criticism!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians. I own all of my OCs, which is pretty much everyone you don't recognize.**

Snow.

The crystals fell down to the ground where they gathered, forming a blanket over the grassy ground.

Jack always loved snow. When we were little, he would dance around in circles, surrounded by falling flakes. As we grew up, he would make snowballs and throw them at unsuspecting passerbys. I don't even know how many times I got hit by one of those.

There wasn't a single place I could look that didn't hurt.

It's been three long days since Jack died saving his little sister, Elizabeth. They were skating on thin ice by accident, and as he swung her across the ice to safety, he fell onto the weakest patch of ice on that lake and toppled in.

I was walking by and saw the whole thing.

Jack and I were supposed to get married today, but it wasn't going to happen anymore.

"Kassi, just cheer up already!" my older brother, Samuel, yelled.

"How could you say that? You don't know how it feels," I yelled back, malice dripping in my voice. "You wouldn't know how it feels to lose someone like that. I saw Jack die."

I held up my long black dress and white apron before scurrying to the little cabin in the woods Jack built for us. There, sitting alone on the bed. I took off the hand-carved wooden ring and vowed to keep it with me forever, but to never wear it again.

Jack, I will never forget you.

**Sorry if that was too short. I promise the first REAL chapter will be longer. (Aug. 30 edit: A BIG thank you to Ice Cream Kari for catching my mistake.)**


	2. Chapter 1: Kassandra Aylett

**Alright guys! Thank you to Nyderania, prontobadjuju, animeorange94, and monmosevolragus for the reviews! Also a big thank you to everyone who favorited and followed! **

**So here's the first real chapter! Thank you all for reading.**

xXxTragedies in Burgess ArcxXx

xXxKassandra AylettxXx

I ended up sitting on that bed for quite a long time. In one hand was the speech I would recite to the crowd in a few days at Jack's funeral, the other a cup of coffee.

The silence was swiftly interrupted as a banging sound filled the frigid winter air. "Sis! It's me, Aly. I'm here with Eliz," a young female voice I recognized as my sister, Alyson's, called. "Can we come in?"

"Sure," I said getting up from the bed.

"You weren't crying?" Elizabeth asked when she entered the house.

"Jack wouldn't really want to see me cry," I explained.

"Elaborate," Elizabeth said, gesturing for me to explain.

"The last time Jack saw me cry, he got really mad at me. He said something along the lines of, 'It really brings me down to see you cry.' So, well, I guess I'm not gonna cry, 'cause he's watching right now," I sighed as I made some tea.

What I said was true. The last time he saw me cry, he nearly slapped me in the face and told me to shut up. Keyword: nearly. He knew I could probably kick him all the way to Britain if I wanted to.

My sister, her best friend, and I made small talk as we sipped away at out tea and ate home-baked cookies taken out from the pantry.

When Jack and Elizabeth's father died about seven or eight years ago, Jack told me the way he got over his death was by talking to others and having fun. I used the technique one when my baby brother was stillborn and it did work.

But sill, there was that tearing feeling in my heart. It refused to leave no matter how much we laughed a giggled.

Aly and Eliz went home after a solid hour of talking. I cleaned up quickly and headed to the deepest part of the woods.

**xXxXxXx**

I was always a feisty fighter at heart and refused to act by the feminine rules set for me. Every once in a while, I would head into the woods to a placed Jack and I dubbed the secret spot to train in archery and swordsmanship. I was decent at both, but I constantly found wearing a dress a pain.

Jack's father was the one who trained me in the sword and in archery. He often taught Jack and me secretly when he was in town. Mr. Overland wasn't the kind of man who believed women can't fight. I wasn't his first female student, but one of many that he trained while he wasn't running away from the British for god-knows-what.

I wielded the long blade I took from the cabin and began slashing away.

**xXxXx**

After a while, I decided it was time to go home. I stumbled to the cabin, but suddenly couldn't gather the resolve to go in. I sat outside on a fallen log crying alone in the woods, hoping no one was watching.

I soon decided that instead of going in that small cabin in the woods I've called home for two years, I would go back to my parents' house.

Walking into the front parlor, I bid a quick goodnight to my parents and headed to my room in the back of the house.

Most of the bedroom was still like how I left it, but some parts were messier than the last time I saw them.

After changing into a nightgown and laying down on the bed, I cried myself to sleep for the third time.

**xXxXxXx**

I woke to the smell of something burning. My instinct kicked me straight out of bed and into the kitchen, wondering if Mother or Alyson left the potbelly stoveon.

What I saw was worse. Flames covered the floor and danced across the kitchen, some as tall as I was. Most of the things in the house was aflame, many already charred or in ashes.

How come I didn't smell the fire earlier?

**Well that's it for now. Tune in next time. I might or might not update daily, depending on how much homework I have. Please review! It makes me super duper happy!**


	3. Chapter 2: Death by Ice, Death by Fire

**Hi everyone! Angel here! Sorry for the wait! **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and once again, thank you to Ice Cream Kari for catching my mistake. **

**This chapter is dedicated to animeorange94 for guessing the plot. From this chapter forward, I will dedicate one chapter to anyone who can guess any part of the plot. This one was kind of obvious, but, congratulations anyway, animeorange94.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians. I only own my OCs.**

"Mother! Father! Samuel! Alyson!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.  
"I'm here!" Aly yelled.  
"What about Mother, Father, and Sam?" I asked.  
The petite ginger bit back a tear. "Dead." Aly was always one to be blunt about the truth—and, frankly, being her elder sister, I was used to it—but this time, it hit me hard. "The fire already spread to their rooms."  
As a few support beams fell, I motioned for Aly to follow me out of the house. But as more and more of the house fell down in flames, we had less and less ways to escape.  
I led her slowly to the front corridor by hand, but as a beam fell between us, we instinctively jerked our hands away from each other.  
"Kassi! Kassi!" my little sister, Alyson, screamed.  
"Aly! Look at me, okay? Just keep looking at me," I instructed. Damn the black dress. I could barely move fast enough without it catching fire. "Aly! Reach for my hand." I knew that as the fire spread, there was only one way my little sister could make it out alive: if I threw her. She obeyed and once I had her in my grip, I threw her out of the fire. The reaction from the propulsion sent me flying backwards and into one of the burning piles of wood. I looked out and saw Alyson safe before smiling.  
The world around me slowly faded as I realized I was dying. But then, a thick layer of ice covered me.  
"Whoa, careful there!" someone said, pulling me out of the fire and into the sky.  
"Um, thanks, but who are you?" I asked.  
"Jack Frost. You can see me?"  
"Yes, I can."  
"Maybe you became a spirit after that. Where's your sister?"  
I walked up to the brunette girl crying by the remains of the house. "Aly!" I said. She didn't reply. "Alyson! Alyson Aylett!" I reached out to tap her on the should before I phased through her.  
"Just like I thought. You're a spirit."  
"Why?"  
"That's for the moon to tell you." I gazed up at the shining sphere in the sky and it told me everything. I was now the fear fighting spirit with fire arrows and a sword as weapons. I fought off the fears of the children and guarded their dreams. I would be an unknown defender of children.  
Suddenly, I became enveloped in a white light. When the light disappeared, I was clothed in a tight black shirt and black shorts with a black zip up hoodie over it. In the place of shoes were bandages that looped around the arch of my foot and ankle. My firey red hair flowed down my back in a messy ponytail. On my back was a quiver of arrows and a small backpack. Strapped to my waist was a sword and in my hand was a bow.  
I turned to face the white haired boy. "Now what?"  
"I really don't know. I just became a spirit a few days ago."  
"I just realized something. You-you look exactly like Jack Overland. Except you have white hair and blue eyes," I said, examining the boy's features.  
"I really don't remember anything from before I became a spirit," he said. "Who was this Jack Overland person?"  
"Well, he was one of the biggest tricksters in this town. Playful, always managed to annoy people to death, and slightly too immature for seventeen. Jack never worried about work and always was fooling around, kind of as if he wasn't ready to grow up. But I loved him. He was my fiancée. We were planning to get married yesterday, but he fell into a frozen lake four days ago, while saving his sister, Elizabeth," I said. "I've got this gut feeling you're him. Do you want me to take you to the Overland house? Maybe it'll jog up a few memories."  
"Four days, huh? That was when I became a spirit," he said. "Please take me there." So I guided him around the streets and headed to the Overland house.  
"I heard the Aylett house burned down. Everyone but Alyson perished in the flames," Elizabeth said to her mother, who was cooking supper. "It is very sad. Alyson is still kind of in shock, since Kassandra died saving her."  
"That is sad. If nothing more, Elizabeth, now Jack would have Kassandra for company now," Mrs. Overland responded. If Jack Frost was indeed once Jack Overland, she didn't know how true her words were.  
"I suppose so, Mother," Elizabeth said. "I invited Alyson over to spend the night. I hope you don't mind."  
"Of course I don't mind," the older woman said. "She needs a place to stay."  
"I feel like I recognize them...but I don't really know who they are," the white haired spirit mutteredas he flew to a nearby rock and sat down.  
"I really do think you are Jack. But there has to be a reason for your amnesia, so I won't try and jog your memories any further."  
He nodded. "Hey, maybe it's best if we stay together and try to find other spirits."  
"Mm. Sure."  
Soon, the sun set and the moon rose and the world filled with a different kind of light. It didn't make me feel warm like the sun did, but it gave me a sense of security.  
That's what I really needed now.

**That's it for now! Please review! It makes me really really happy.**

**-Angel**


	4. Chapter 3: Parting Words

**Hi everyone! Angel here! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! This chapter goes to hrhfanficlover for being the first follower of this story and Nyderania for being the first reviewer! I know this is uber late, but thank you both anyway! **

**Anyway, here's the next chapter. It's really kind of transition chapter to get ready for the next arc. The next arc has a lot of action and takes place three hundred years after this chapter, a few days after they defeat Pitch.**

**By the way, some of you are probably wondering, which story is Kassi from? If you can't figure that out, that's okay because Kassi isn't from a childhood story. Kassi Aylett is an unknown spirit who works in the shadows. Her only importance so far is to represent the bond of love and friendship. She'll have another importance later. *cough cough***

**Don't expect too many updates in the next two weeks. A few really big tests are coming up and I know I have to put school first. **

**Disclaimer: Well, considering my name is Angel and not William Joyce, I don't own Rise of the Guardians.**

A couple of days passed since I became a spirit. I was now accustomed to Jack's company. We were planning to leave today to travel the world and find out more about our existence and our purpose, but I remembered something and decided that traveling could wait.

"Hey, can we stay for one more thing?" I asked Jack.

"What is it?"

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but today is the funeral. I kind of want to go," I said. "I want to hear what they've got to say about me."

"Sure, I guess we can stay."

We flew there just in time to hear what Alyson was saying about my life.

"My sister, Kassandra, was my role model. I really looked up to her," Aly said. "She was always the perfect daughter every parent wanted: beautiful, funny, smart, skilled, and popular. Everyone loved her because she was so kind.

The only reason I'm here today is because she threw me out of the fire. It cost Kassi her life.

Jackson Overland was my sister's fiancée. The two had been the best of friends since the beginning, and he began courting Kassi about six years ago. Two years ago, he proposed to her and she accepted. They were planning on getting married. If he had survived, they would have been married the night of the fire.

Their relationship was never fully accepted by Father and Mother, but Jack loved her with all he had and Kassi loved him more than anything else. That was a good enough reason for Mother and Father to let them get married.

This is quoted from what Kassi planned to say today for Jack's funeral: 'Once ,when we were about thirteen years old, Jack took me to the bridge for picnic. We got bored and I asked him a few questions out of the blue. I asked him whether he thought I was pretty, whether he would want to be with me forever, and whether he'd cry if I left. He, being the boy he was, answered no to each question. I took it the wrong way and nearly broke up with Jack. When I was just about to leave, he grabbed my arm and changed everything I believed in. He said, 'You're not pretty; you're beautiful. I don't want to be with you forever, I NEED to be with you forever. I wouldn't cry if you left, I'd die…' Until that day, I assumed that Jack saw me as just another girl. I believed he wasn't hoping for a future where we would be together, and he wouldn't mind at all if I just got up and left. For the longest time, I though Jack courted me so we could steal more times together. I believed that because our relationship was never approved of, we had long ago faced the fact that my parents would never let us get married. Until that day, I didn't know he loved me that much. I thought I was the only one who was head over heels in love, a love that was never fully returned. Now that he has left us forever, I know that there will never be anyone else. Thank you, Jack; I still love you. You will never be gone from my heart.'

I believe those words my sister was planning to say.

Mother, Father, you were the best parents a child could ever wish for. Sam, thank you for being such a kind brother. Kassi, thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for saving my life. Jack, thank you for loving my sister and always being her shoulder to cry one.

Over the years, I have heard many wise quotes from the elderly of this town, but once line stuck more than the rest. I was told once that "true soul mates are never too far apart". Jack and Kassi are now together forever and watching us from above. Thank you for listening to my speech. I now present you Elizabeth Overland."

"Thank you, Alyson. Good afternoon to you all. As you know, my name is Elizabeth Overland and I was Jack sister," Elizabeth said. "Jack was always the troublemaker who always needed to have fun. The day he saved me on the lake, he made the dangerous task into a game of hopscotch.

Although he was usually a trickster, there was one person her would sometimes try to act mature around. That person was Kassandra Aylett. Although half of the time, he would act like an even bigger fool, Jack would always try to impress Kassi. Somehow, it really worked. As Alyson mentioned, by now they should have been a married couple. They worked so hard on their wedding, and it's sad that it never happened.

Kassi was the older sister I never had. I confided in her about many things, from trivial childish matters to the most serious of things. She truly loved my brother and never ceased to show it. Kassi was always the one person who could put up with Jack's annoying antics and put him in his place with a well-aimed snowball. Jack's heart was so clearly stolen the day he saw Kassi, and so was hers.

My brother told me this two years ago after I asked him why he was working so hard on this one woodworking project. I found it interesting that he was, for once, working so hard to make something as perfect as possible. He said this, 'I'm trying to make something for Kassi that she would love and cherish for a lifetime. Most guys just go like, whatever, and just give their girlfriend a gold ring that was made by the goldsmith, but really, that's not special at all. I think that if I made it, Kassi would like it more.'

He truly loved her more than anyone else in the world if he would work so hard just to make her happy. And she always loved him, no matter how much trouble he'd get himself in.

After Jack died, a lot of people found it strange that Kassi wasn't crying for her dead fiancée. When I asked her, she said, 'Jack wouldn't want to see me cry. The last time Jack saw me cry, he got really mad at me. He said something along the lines of, 'It really brings me down to see you cry.' So, well, I guess I'm not gonna cry, 'cause he's watching right now.'

It took everything she had to not cry and she was clearly hurting so much on the inside.

That same night, I found her in the woods, sobbing─no, bawling her eyes out.

Jack, I miss you, and thank you so much for saving my life. You were the most ridiculous, troublesome, and funny brother anyone could have. Kassandra, thank you for listening to all of my troubles. And most of all, thank you for making Jack so happy. And thank you all for listening to what I had to say."

When Elizabeth finished her speech, I was almost crying.

"Whoa, don't cry," Jack said. "C'mon. Let's get going. We're going to find out why we're here and who we are."  
"Yeah." I nodded, picking up my bag and following the white haired boy into the skies.

**Ah, that was a really long chapter…**

**I'm planning on posting a side story to go with the Tragedies of Burgess Arc, which is officially finished this chapter. I have it written already, so it should be posted soon. By the way, what Jack said to Kassi was from a chain letter I got from a friend and the "true soul mates are never too far apart" quote is from Daniel X: Armageddon. **


	5. Chapter 4: Remember?

**Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update. Thank you to those who left reviews. This chapter goes to Ice Cream Kari for posting her first story. If you are a Cardcaptor Sakura fan, please go and check it out.**

**Also, the promised side story is now posted! Please go and read it. The title is The Thing That Means The Most To Me.**

**Note: There are two time skips in this chapter.**

xXxNew Guardian ArcxXx

xXxRemember?xXx

Three Hundred Years Later...

"You were right all along, Kassi," Jack told me the day after he became a Guardian. We were lying alone in a snowy field somewhere near Burgess. "I am Jack Overland. I remember everything now. Even you. We were the top troublemakers in Burgess, weren't we?"

"You remember!" I laughed excitedly. "Yeah. Oh, gosh, remember that time when you accidentally hit James Bennett in the head?"

"That was fun."

"Oh, and that time in the woods...you were rather creative in proposing." I glanced at the wooden ring I kept in my pocket, carved by Jack three hundred years ago.

I was fourteen when he proposed to me. We all married pretty young back then. He snuck up behind me in the woods as I was secretly training and dropped some snow down my dress. I got so mad at him that I tackled him into the snow and gave him a taste of his own medicine, only stopping when he pulled out he ring and asked me to marry him.

"You kept that? It's like, three hundred years old!"

"Of course I did. I would never throw away something important like this!" I slipped the ring on my finger, where it belonged.

"Yeah. Guess so." Jack pulled me close, my head resting on his shoulder so naturally it seemed like it belonged there.

"I missed you," I whispered.

"Me too." We sat there, silent, for quite a long time. He was going through all of his newfound memories as I enjoyed the cold winter air, but I was thinking about more important things.

Like, who would we be now, after Jack knows who I really am and who I once was to him? Would be the same as the past three hundred years, or would we be like the mortal years?

It hurt to think that finally after so many years of waiting for Jack to get his memories, we probably could never go back to who we were.

Clichéd movie me says that we'll be fine, but Jack is everything but clichéd.

**xXxXxXx**  
Ten Years Later...

Another ten years passed quickly before Manny sent out a warning again. Upon hearing there were new dangers, North called the Guardians together.

Suddenly, and I don't know why, I was put in the picture.

"Hey, Jack, what's up?" I said when I saw the snowy haired boy approaching.

"Yo," he replied. "Guardian business. Need you to come with me.

"Why?"

"Guardian business."

"No details?"

"Sorry, nope."

"Why?"

"I don't have any."

"Ah." He guided me through the portal. I soon found myself in the Globe Room of North's workshop. "Whoa," I gasped as I noticed the intricate architecture as well as the globe. All of the Guardians as well as a few yetis and elves were scattered around the room.

"I know right?" Jack whispered as North cleared his throat.

"Kassandra Aylett, correct?" the old man asked.

"Yeah. Can someone give me more details than Jack did?" I replied.

Sandy tried, but failed, giving me no more interpretable details than Jack did.

"Try up there," North suggested, pointing at the big hole in the ceiling, framing the moon.

Following his instructions, I gazed at the moon, who told me everything. Manny had a hunch that a new evil was rising and the Guardians needed help. I was the new candidate for help.

"I don't know if I can," I said.

"'Course ya can," Bunnymund said. "Manny chose ya." Sandy nodded in agreement.

"I dunno, but I'll try," I agreed.

"Music!" North joyfully commanded.

"NO MUSIC!" a sinister voice said.

"Who's there?" all of us said at once.

A dark figure emerged from the shadows "I am…"

**That was a short chapter. Thanks for reading! Please leave a review. Also, those of you who are Naruto fans, please check out my new fanfiction, Snapshots. **


	6. Chapter 5: Guardian

**Hello everyone! It's Angel! Sorry this update took so long. I've been busy with a lot of important tests.**

**I just got a FictionPress account (and I am, in fact, in a middle of a HUGE story dump there), so please check me out! It's under the same name and the link is on my profile.**

**This one goes to the victims of the 9/11 incidents and their families as well as the first response people who risked their lives for those people. (Yeah, if you didn't know, I'm American.) It's kind of a late tribute, but as many say, better late than never.**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. I do not own Rise of the Guardians. In this chapter: Kassi and Sam are mine.**

"I am Sam Hain, wizard, spirit of Halloween and all evil!" the shadowy figure cackled in a strange accent I couldn't place my finger on, putting particular stress of the last word.

I thought I saw North stagger backwards when he heard that it was Sam. Last time I checked, North and Sam were once very good friends. That was, of course, before Sam strayed from the path.

"So yer one'a Pitch's minions, eh?" Bunny asked.

"Quite the contrary. Pitch is one of mine. And we have come to seek revenge," Sam responded. Whoa, this guy was powerful. "I came here to give you a kind warning. In three days, the resurrection spell will be complete and Pitch will revive. And in due time, evil will take over the world!" Sam cackled evilly as he slowly dissolved into the shadows.

Sand smoke came puffing out of Sandy's ears. He clearly didn't want Pitch back, more than the rest of us.

"Agreed, mate," Bunny nodded to the golden spirit.

"Looks like we're facing more trouble than we thought," Jack muttered, glancing at Manny.

"Sure looks like it," North nodded grimly. Tooth's fairies chirped in agreement. "Sorry, Kassandra. We'll have to put off the initiation for a while."

"That's fine," I replied.

"She doesn't even know her center!" Tooth suddenly blurted.

"My what?" I asked.

"Center. Who you are, what you represent, and what role in the Guardians you will play," Jack explained. He clearly packed a lot of important information in one and a half sentences.

"Ah," I nodded in mock understanding.

"I think we should set out an' get Pitch before he gets any power again," Bunny suggested. "Nip it at the bud."

"It doesn't work for fear, nipping it in the bud. Sam will just keep on casting the spell over and over," I replied, being the expert of the group on the topic.

"But there isn't really a way to permanently get rid of fear either," Jack said.

"True. And that is why we are the Guardians, Jack," North answered. "We are here to fight that fear." The five considered that statement for a moment, and then nodded in agreement.

"That's true. Now let's go find that hideout!" Jack said. The others gave a cheer in agreement.

In the excitement, we didn't notice the little sand figure pointing at the globe.

"Oh, Sandy, what is it?" I asked. The others turned their attention to the little guy, then to the globe.

And what do we see? Lights slowly flickering off, indicating the rise of fear.

The Guardians and I exchange "uh-oh" looks before quickly heading to the sleigh.

"I still think the holes are safer," Bunny explained to no one in particular.

"We don't care. Get in," North commanded, picking the rabbit up and dropping him in the sleigh. "Buckle up!"

"Where are the bloody seatbelts?!" Bunny asked, feeling around for black straps to secure himself in place.

"Just expression," the jolly Russian grinned. A groan came from the Guardian of Hope.

The sleigh came to an abrupt landing as we approached Burgess, the last known location of Pitch's lair. We raised various weapons as we slowly but steadily, descended from the sleigh and onto the cold winter ground.

"There it is," I said, using my sword to point at the broken bed in the middle of a snowy patch of grass. Nods came from the others as one by one, we dropped down in to the hole the bed covered.

Slowly, we walked through the dark passageways, led by Jack, eventually reaching the main chamber, where a dark figure we were reluctant to recognize stood.

"Pitch Black," the five of us seethed as sand smoke came out of Sandy's ears.

"Ah," he replied. "The Guardians. I wonder if you can defend the world's children this time around."

"It's only been ten years. How are you in working condition?" North asked. "It took you centuries last time."

"This time Lord Hain was kind enough to provide me with a sort of a spell to speed up my healing," Pitch cackled.

"Well, sorry, but you're gonna go down. Again," Bunny said, wielding a pair of boomerangs.

"Not when I've got her," Pitch said. He quickly maneuvered around the other Guardians, as if by magic, and captured me.

"Kassi!" Jack yelled.

"Now who is this?" Pitch wondered aloud.

"Let her go!" Jack threatened, pointing his staff at Pitch.

"Oh, no," Pitch replied, using my body as a shield. I let out a whimper. "Be careful where you point that." I tried to slash something with my sword, but something, maybe Pitch's aura, had drained all of my powers. "Now GO!" Pitch waived a hand, sending the Guardians flying out the hole.

Now I was in a load of trouble.

**That was also a very short chapter, but I just wanted to get something up so that you guys didn't think I died or something.**

**Thank you for reading! Please review! It makes me super happy, which results in a very high author and much faster updates.**


	7. Chapter 6: Tears Shed

**Hi, it's Angel! I'm not dead, although my own cliffhanger nearly killed me. Sorry for the late update; writer's block isn't particularly friendly.**

**For any Sword Art Online fans, Ice Cream Kari and I have posted a collab fic! The link is on my profile.**

**I just got a tumblr account and I have posted a fandom challenge. Please check it out (link is on profile)!**

**This chapter goes to I got mugged by a penguin. Thanks! By the way, sweet penname!**

**Review Responses (I will be doing these regularly from now on):**

**animeorange94: Here are the answers!**

**monmosevolragus: That's my job. Seems like I'm doing it well!**

**Thanks to everyone who favorited/followed/reviewed!**

**Disclaimer (Have I been forgetting these?): I do not own Rise of the Guardians.**

"Ah, good," said the dark figure. "I needed a test subject for my next experiment. Black sand formed around my wrists and ankles, pinning me to a wall in the cave.  
Pitch struck me with a dark black sand, the darkest of blacks, that wrapped around my belly, causing blood to drip out of the huge wound that revealed itself after the black sand disappeared.

"This special sand is poisonous. You have no more than three days left." That's all I remembered before I blacked out. 

There were two figures in front of me engaged in a fierce kiss. One had beautiful, fairy-like wings; the other had a familiar looking staff. Quickly putting two and two together, I realized what the scene was and what it meant right before the figures dispersed as if they were made of sand.

The next scene had a hooded dark figure with the same staff and an arrow running through figure. The sandy figure disintegrated and what was left was the staff.

Then that scene faded to the next. It was an image of the same person as before, but this time he didn't seem the same. When the figure turned to face me, I screamed even thought there was nothing to be afraid of.

My eyes open and I see the real world, not one made out of sand.  
I let out a sigh of relief, realizing that was all a dream.

Or was it?

No, I wasn't a dream...those were my worst nightmares.

See, I knew Jack always had something for Tooth, and she was head over heels in love with him. Sure, I was jealous, because after all, three hundred years ago, he was all mine. Competition wasn't something I was used to, and besides, Tooth and I never began on good terms.

I was also scared to death of killing Jack, whether I meant it or if I was under some spell or trance.

Then there was Jack becoming someone else I didn't know. Even something else is a threat.

I loved Jack for who he was and I can't believe I only realized that just now.

No matter the cost, I had to get out of here.

The presence of the dark figure seemed to be gone, so I silently crept out of the cave and to the bright daylight that was above.

When I finally got out of the cave, I realized why his presence was missing. At least a thousand Fearlings stood outside and amongst the dark, shadowy creatures was their creator. I put up a defiant look and drew my sword.

"Fighting will only make the wound even larger," Pitch said. I noticed some blood drip from underneath my shirt.

"I don't care," I replied and I slashed the nearby Fearlings, causing them to break into sandy clouds and disappear. But with each blow I grew weaker and weaker until I finally collapsed. The black figure crowded around me, ready to break me into pieces.

Then, a familiar looking frost froze them in place and destroyed them.

A hooded figure descended to the ground. Against my will, I let out a whimper, recognizing it as Jack. A dark sand wrapped around me and captured me as a hostage.

"No you don't!" Jack yelled, wildly attack Pitch. He panted after a full minute of relentless attacks.

"Why are you fighting so hard for this girl?" Pitch asked.

I struggled once again to get out of the sand's grip, which had led me to being suffocated by Pitch. "Jack!" I tried to scream. It came out as a muffled cry.

"'Cause I love her, dammit! But you'll never understand something like that, would you?" the white haired teenager said. "I'm going to make this hurt, Pitch, so you won't forget to never mess with her again." He raised his staff and fired. Pitch screamed in agony as the blast of ice hit him. The black figure was drawn like metal to a magnet back to his lair. Jack swooped in, grabbed me away from Pitch, and landed a few hundred meters away.

That's when I noticed something was wrong.

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	8. Chapter 7: Three Days

**Hi, it's Angel!**

**I already had this chapter written, so I thought I'd post it.**

**Warning: Lots of blood. I had to twist a couple of facts so that the Guardians could bleed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians.**

"Jack, you're hurt!" I exclaimed as I noticed the limp in his step and the blood trickling down from numerous places.

"I'm fine," he said, faking a pained smile.

"Don't try that on me. It doesn't work," I said. I hoisted him up on my back and dug a portal out of my pocket. I launched it, expecting a gate to open up. "North Pole!" Instead, the flame ball bounced off the dirt and rolled into the woods.

"What the-?!" the white haired guardian asked, eyes widening.

"Portals don't work anymore," I said after chucking another.

"Great. Then let's camp out here for tonight and figure out the problem tomorrow," he said before fainting.

I rolled my eyes and carried him deep into the woods, setting up a temporary tent using some rope, a tarp, and a tree branch. I drew protection charms so we couldn't get attacked.

Lucky for Jack, I was training in medical care as well as fighting. Jack's left ankle was twisted in a rather morbid way. His left wrist was also broken from a direct hit from a ball of Nightmare sand, and I had to set it. The winter spirit also had numerous cuts from who knows what all up his arms and legs. He lost a lot of blood, if even possible for a spirit.

After treating his injuries, I didn't have the supplies to treat mine, so I tried to start a fire, not only the normal way, but also with my powers. The wind, as if it was trying to foil my attempts, kept on blowing out the fire.

The boy who appeared to be a teen woke up with a groan. "What happened?" he asked.

"You passed out," I explained bluntly. "You lost a lot of blood and you have a twisted ankle and a broken wrist."

"So I'll basically be fine in a few days," he summarized.

"Yeah right," I said. A long awkward silence followed. "Thanks for saving me there."

"It was nothing. You're okay right?" he asked.

"Yeah. Just a few scratches and a couple of bruises at most," I lied, knowing that the gash on my stomach was only going to bleed and bleed and eventually get infected without proper treatment. But I couldn't worry Jack, because he'd rush his recovery to try and get me back to North's, not knowing it wouldn't help.

I had three days left with the boy I loved and I was going to make the most out of it.

"Then what's that?" he asked, pointing to a small pool of blood gathering at my side. Plan foiled in three seconds flat.

"Just a scratch. I've had worse. I'll take care of it when we get back to the North Pole," I faked another smile, turning away from him. "It's okay. It doesn't even hurt."

"Yeah right. How can something that bleeds that much not hurt?" He reached under my blood soaked shirt and fingered the wound on my stomach, making me turn bright red and cry out in pain, accidentally falling onto his lap.

He inspected his blood covered hand. "It's obviously not okay. Here, let me do it," Jack offered.

"I'm out of supplies, Jack. It can wait. The wound doesn't hurt unless it's touched." Another lie.

"I have bandages," he said, fishing a huge roll of white cloth from his pocket. Whoa, where did that come from?

"Fine, then."

I turned around so I faced Jack. He helped me take of my wet and bloody shirt, revealing my undergarments, which made both of us blush twenty shades of red, even though he'd done it before in the past. The teenage Guardian looked away, embarrassed.

"I'm okay with you looking, Jack," I reassured him. "You've done it before."

"That was a wound on your back, Kassi. That's...different."

"So? How about our last camping trip in the woods? Or the wedding dress?"

"That was a long time ago." He eventually got over his embarrassment and took a look at the wound.

"Damn, Kassi, it's huge!" The gash had opened further since I last inspected it. It now covered my whole stomach and parts of it wrapped around to my back.

"It's gotten bigger. There should be some disinfectant and wipes in my bag. See if you can find it." Jack reached into my bag and pulled out a bottle of disinfectant and a packet of wipes.

He gingerly wiped off the blood with a few wipes and tried to stop the bleeding with a tourniquet. When the wound finally stopped bleeding, he sprayed it with disinfectant and bandaged it up tightly. I cried out in pain and he whispered a few words of comfort to me.

That's all I knew before I passed out from blood loss.

When I woke up, I found myself lying on the ground, using a rolled up blanket as a pillow. I had Jack's signature blue sweater on instead of my black t-shirt, which was washed and laid out near the fire.  
I groaned and tried to sit up, only to collapse from pain. "Oh, you're up," Jack said, walking in wearing a slightly torn white t-shirt.

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Over two hours. Here, just rest. We'll both probably be stuck here for a while since the portals don't work and you're hurt."

"So are you, Jack." I tried once again to sit up, and managed to do it with some help. Jack helped me lean against the tree trunk.

"Here, eat up," he said passing me a bowl of stew.

"Thank you. But how did you get this?" I asked, realizing it wasn't rabbit stew. Back in Burgess, we used to camp out in the woods for fun, and for dinner, I'd always make him rabbit stew. But with Bunny as our close friend...well, y'know.

He sat down next to me with a bowl of his own. "I managed to start a fire using on of your arrows and heat up a can of soup. North gave a whole ton of them to me a while back," he explained. "Oh, and I've also washed your shirt. It was pretty bloody." Say, when did my arrows stop listening to me and started listening to Jack? They are MY arrows, right?

"Jack, you should stay off your feet."

"Don't worry about me. My ankle's only twisted."

"Jack!"

"Okay, okay, I will. Fine. Jeez, Kassandra."

"Good."

We ate in silence for a while, a silence that was golden and enveloped the woods like a sacred blanket.

Just being here with Jack was enough comfort for me.

**Please review!**


	9. Chapter 8: Starry Nights

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update, life has been a bit of a mess. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Responses: **

**Sephira Vanya Estelwen****: Here you go!**

**animeorange94: You'll have to wait to find out.**

**Ice Cream Kari: Really, Kari-chan, really?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians.**

"Let's sleep. We'll need the energy to heal," Jack finally said, breaking the silence.

"Sure," I laid down on the ground, back to him. "Oh, jeez...it hurts!" The Nightmare Poison had probably gone further into my system.

"Shh...it's okay," he whispered comfortingly. He put his arm around me so his hand was on top of wound.

I flinched at the pain but smiled, moving my hand on top of his. The winter spirit moved in closer and his cold body touched mine.

"Goodnight," he said, kissing my red hair. It's been forever since he last did that.

"Goodnight."

For some reason, I didn't want the night to end.

**xXxXxXx**

When I woke up in the morning, I was curled in ball facing Jack, head on his chest, his arm around me protectively.

I groaned and slowly got up. The sun just came up so I could only see about five feet in front of me. I started a fire and made breakfast: more of North's stew.

Once again, I tried the portals. No good.

About thirty minutes later, Jack woke up. "Good morning."

"Good morning. Hey, after you're done with breakfast, let me rebind your ankle and wrist." I passed him the soup bowl. "Oh, and by the way, the portals still don't work."

He nodded and began to eat.

After breakfast, I inspected and redid his bandages. His ankle was still pretty bad but his wrist was getting better. The cuts were all healed.

"Here, let me do yours." Jack took the roll of bandages out of my hand. I nodded. He helped me take off his sweater and undid my bandages, both of us still turning red the whole time. "It's not getting better." He sprayed the wound with disinfectant, making it sting, then rebandaged it. I put on my own shirt, which had dried overnight.

"I'll wash your sweater for you."

"You don't need to. It's clean."

"Well, it's kind of bloody."

"It's fine. Stay off your feet so you'll heal faster." Although the spirit of fun, Jack had his serious side. And when the white haired winter spirit was serious, there was no defeating him.

xXxXxXx

The whole day passed without a hitch. Jack and I shared stories of adventures and other things as we rested.

The light faded to night and Jack and I decided it was a good time to sleep under the stars.

After a short while, Jack forced me to turn around and face him. His playful, expectant, even almost greedy smirk said it all. I moaned as he smashed his lips onto mine and they locked in a seemingly endless match of tonsil hockey.

A perfect replay of that last night in the woods before he died.

I woke up at dawn, still curled up in his arms. Yawning, I got up and made breakfast before waking Jack up, like every morning.

Then suddenly, without warning, I collapsed.

"Kassi!" he yelled, managing to catch me before I fell to the ground. "Kassandra! Stay with me. Stay with me, Kassi!" He slapped my cheeks.

"The ultimate sacrifice must be made," a voice hissed in a prophtic tone.

"Tell me what's wrong with her," Jack yelled at no one in particular. "Just tell me what I can do." His voice caught itself.

"She was infected by the Nightmare Poison. Only a sacrifice can save her now," the voice said.

"Kassi, why didn't you tell me?" Jack asked, almost crying.

"I...I didn't want you to worry. Pitch...Pitch said I'd die within three days anyway," I muttered, flinching at the pain. "Those two nights. Together. Just us. I wanted the make the most of the time I had left. If I told you, none of those moments would have happened. I was happy. Weren't you?" He nodded. "I'm glad."

"Kassi! Don't make it sound like you're going to die!" he yelled in despair. Tears streamed down his face.

"I am going to die. It's okay, Jack," I moaned, wiping a tear off his face. "Don't cry over me. Just...be happy...please...be happy for...me. Jack...I love you." I ran my fingers through his frosty white hair.

"Don't die! Kassi, I love you. Don't leave me," his voice was choked by tears.

"Don't get depressed after I die, okay?"

"How could you say that?! Kassi, have you gone insane? You said we'd be together forever! You promised me!" He gently fingered the wooden ring on my finger.

"She will live if you do as I say," the voice said.

"Tell me what to do," Jack demanded.

"Very well," the voice said. Jack kept on nodding, as if he was receiving instructions from the voice. He undid my bandages and took out a knife, which he got from who knows where. He was just about to slice his radial artery when I stopped him.

"Jack, you'll die!" I said.

"The deal is a life for a life. It's fine," he said and made the cut, letting the blood drip onto my wound.

"No, Jack!" I yelled. My wound slowly shrunk as Jack placed his bleeding wrist on my stomach, lying down next to me, most likely experiencing dizziness from blood loss. When the wound finally faded to a scar and the pain became no more, I sat up with the little strength I had left and made a tourniquet for his cut. Working as fast as my exhausted body let me, I disinfected and bandaged the wound.

"Jack! Jack! Stay with me!" I yelled. His pupils slowly dilated. "Oh no you don't! Jack! Jack! Jackson Overland Frost! Look at me." He made a weak attempt to look into my eyes. "No. Look. At. Me. Jack! Please..." I started getting drowsy myself. "Jack...don't...die..."

Then, I collapsed. 

**Cliffhangers...don't you love 'em? Thank you so much for you continued support. I don't think I'd have made it this far without those ten favorites, sixteen follows, and twenty-three reviews. Once again, thanks!**

**Some serious hard core action and the fate of the mysterious Sam Hain shall be revealed in the upcoming chapters.**

**Please review!**


	10. Chapter 9: Returning Home

**Hey guys! Decided to update a little bit faster for two reasons: a bunch of people complaining about the cliffhanger, and the four day weekend we had. Thank you so much for your reviews! They make me super happy! Have a waffle!**

**This is the last Jassandra (JackXKassandra) chapter before two or three action chapters, the Guardian Initiation, and then more and more action from there on. There will still be fluff, but gradually less and less.**

**Responses:**

**animeorange94: Two chapters? Maybe? I'm getting there. You should hope. **

**Iron Mikan Frost-Elric-Uzumaki: Hehehe, my own cliffhanger didn't kill me, so, here's the update!**

**The Forgotten Stark: Um, cliffhangers are my specialty…animeorange94 and Ice Cream Kari can tell you that without fail…*laughs*. Well, here's the next chapter! **

**Ice Cream Kari: Yup, yup! Aren't cliffhangers awesome! Don't answer no.**

**maymay85985: Thank you! Here's the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Well, you see, my name is Angel. It's not exactly William Joyce. You get what I mean. I'm running out of creative ways to do this.**

We woke up about a week after the incident. Jack woke up first and shook me awake. "Kassandra! Wake up!" My heavy eyelids forced themselves open and the darkness faded to the midday sun, trees, and a tarp tent.

"What happened?" I asked, forcing myself upright with much more energy than I'd prefer to have used.

"I don't know," he said, throwing a portal. "North Pole!" The portal landed uselessly on the ground.

"Ah great," I groaned, "they still don't work."

"We'll have to fly," he muttered under his breath. Yup, Captain Obvious! We're gonna have to fly.

A long silence followed those rather depressed sounding words.

"What you said that day. The whole load of stuff...I think I know your Center," he said, as he paced the ground. I smiled at him and he grinned back.

"Happiness," we said at the same time.

**xXxXxXx**

I fixed us some stew for some decent nourishment. "Kassandra, why didn't you tell me?" Jack asked. "That you were hurt that badly."

"I only had three days," I explained, shrugging. "If I told you, we never would have had all of the fun we had. Y'know, anyone who knows they're dying would try to make the most out of their last days."

"But, Kassi!"

"What's past is past, Jack. Here, have some." I handed him a steaming bowl of stew. The aroma of the delicious broth overpowered all of his other thoughts on ranting on and on about what happened the week prior. And at last, the winter spirit actually shut up.

"Thanks." He happily dug in as I sat down next to him, a bowl of soup in my hand.

After lunch with nothing much to do, I leaned on Jack's shoulder of some rest. He put his arm around my waist and held me closer to him.

"I love you, Kass," Jack whispered into my hair. That was the first time in three hundred years he called me that. A part of my resolved died as the sound of my former pet name reached my ears.

_Maybe_, I thought, _maybe he and I still had a chance to be together._

"I love you, too," I replied.

**xXxXxXx**

About a week passed before both of us passed self-evaluations and we decided it was about time to head back to the pole. Over a month had passed since I was captured and the portals stopped working. The other Guardians were probably confused and worried beyond comparison.

Most days of flying were silent, to my surprise, minus a few excited squeals as we flew over the most brilliant of sceneries.

We were flying over the super boring Hudson Bay when I finally decided to strike up a conversation, absolutely sick of the fact Jack was actually quiet.

Now don't get me wrong. Jack being silent isn't a bad thing. It's probably one of the best things since sliced bread considering all that winter spirit does is babble and babble when I'm around. But Jack being silent for way too long way just…creepy. And unnerving.

"Hey, Jack?" I asked. "Please move back in with me. I'm still maintaining that cabin you built for us. It's not really that modern, but it's something."

A long silence followed. "Sure."

I grinned and her grinned back.

An hour of flying later, we saw some of Sandy's dreamsand. Jack touched it and a few dolphins appeared. I giggled at the cute sight and Jack smiled. We gazed in wonder at the many streams of sand surrounding us. Jack guided me to the point where all of the Dreamsand came from: Sandy's ship. He and Jack had a brief conversation, if such an exchange could be called one.

"So all of the portals have been down for over a month?" Jack asked. Sandy nodded and flashed a picture of a Santa hat and a box of tools, meaning North was working on it. "How is everyone?" Sandy flashed a thumbs-up, meaning everyone was okay. He then showed us a map and a pin, meaning where were you two? "We both kind of got hurt so we had to camp out to heal." Sandy nodded.

Funny how we just interpreted that perfectly.

Daylight broke and the Dreamsand retreated back to its owner. A pain of aircraft goggles formed around Sandy's head and he slid them over his eyes as he boarded his Dreamsand plane. Together, the three of us flew to the North Pole.

**Decided not to kill anything or anyone today. Feel lucky.**

**Once again, thank you all for your support! I really appreciate it. Please continue to support me!**

**I have a Jassandra (or Jassi as The Forgotten Stark put it) picture up on my deviantART. Visit my profile for the link.**


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